Frequently Asked Questions

Prospective families can apply for admission to Foothills the fall before their family would like to enroll their child, and parents should complete the application process as soon as possible for the following school year. However, new admissions continue throughout the year and summer until all spots in all classes are full.

7th & 8th Grade:

Nines:

After a prospective family submits a completed application, the Director of Admissions will contact the family within a few days to schedule a classroom visit (Early Learner [preschool] parents visit the class instead of their children). K-9th grade prospective students come for a partial or full day visit depending on their age. After the visit, the Director of Admissions will follow up with the family to share feedback and make sure that all of the family's questions have been answered.

Families applying to the school are asked to: review the school's website, schedule a parent tour, submit an application with a $50 non-refundable application fee, schedule a parent (EL) or student (K-9th) classroom visit, give a teacher recommendation form to their child's previous teacher (K-9th), submit school records from a child's previous school, and possibly schedule a short interview with the Head of School as the last step in the application process.

The Director of Admissions will contact families to communicate if students are admitted in March or April. For all other openings, the school makes decisions on a rolling admissions basis (i.e. shortly after the family completes the application process) throughout the school year and summer. If space allows, the school also accepts students mid-year.

"Priority" or special consideration is given to siblings of already enrolled Foothills students and children of faculty and staff members. For priority status to take effect, a family must complete certain steps in the application process, which the Director of Admissions will communicate to families.

Foothills School can accommodate students with certain special learning needs. However, the school does not have the resources to serve the needs of all students and must consider families' needs on a case-by-case basis. Parents should talk with the Director of Admissions about the specific accommodations that the school can make.

Foothills looks for students who get along well with others and can thrive in a collaborative, project based learning environment. Students who are motivated to succeed in school usually flourish at Foothills. Typically, students who prosper in a creative, community-oriented school and whose families can partner with the school to support their child are the most happy and successful at Foothills.

The application process at Foothills is primarily designed so that prospective families get an accurate picture of the school to help them determine if their child would thrive here. At the same time, the Admissions Committee for each class also determines whether or not it believes that a student will be successful at Foothills. When making admissions decisions, the Admissions Committee takes into account interactions with the prospective family; the student's application, teacher recommendation (K-9th), and transcripts (K-9th); and observations made during the classroom visit. The school also tries to balance the ages and genders of students in each class wherever possible. First year preschool students must be three by September 1 of the year they are starting; they must also be potty trained.

During a family's initial tour of Foothills, a family can expect to meet with the Director of Admissions for about an hour to talk about their child and what they are looking for in a school. The Director of Admissions will provide an overview of the school as well as answer specific questions about each class, then the family will tour the entire school with the Director of Admissions to see classes in action. At the end of the tour, the family will be given a prospectus packet that includes a welcome letter, an admissions checklist, an application, a teacher recommendation form (K-9th), a student records release form (K-9th), school profile information, tuition and financial aid information, and school contact information.

For Early Learner (preschool) students, school starts at 9:00 and parents can drop-off at 8:30 for a yearly fee. In 2013-14, the ELs are piloting an AfterCare program and care will be provided until 5:45 every night and on Early Release days.

For K-9th graders, school starts at 8:15 a.m. and students can arrive at 7:30 a.m. for no additional cost; Foothills offers an AfterCare program for K-6th graders, available from 3:30 p.m. until 5:45 p.m. every school day. The charge for AfterCare is $6.00 per hour for the first child; if families have multiple children or sign-up for AfterCare through a monthly package, there is a discounted rate. There is no AfterCare for 7th-9th graders unless a student would like to assist with the AfterCare program.